"A Tribute to Police Service Dogs"

"Guardians Of The Night"

Trust in me my friend for I am
your comrade. I will protect you
with my last breath When all
others have left you And the
loneliness of the night closes
in, I will be at your side.

Together we will conquer all
obstacles, And search out
those who might wish harm to
others. All I ask of you is
compassion, The caring touch
of your hands. It is for you that I
will unselfishly give my life And
spend my nights unrested.
Although our days together
May be marked by the passing
of the seasons Know that each
day at your side is my reward.

My days are measured by The
coming and going of your
footsteps. I anticipate them at
every opening of the door. You
are the voice of caring when I
am ill. The voice of authority
when I've done wrong.

Do not chastise me unduly For
I am your right arm, The sword
at your side. I attempt to do
only what you bid of me. I seek
only to please you and remain
in your favor.

Together you and I shall
experience A bond only others
like us will understand When
outsiders see us together Their
envy will be measured by their
disdain.

I will quietly listen to you And
pass no judgment, Nor will your
spoken words be repeated I will
remain ever silent, Ever vigilant,
ever loyal. And when our time
together is done And you move
on in the world Remember me
with kind thoughts and tales,
For a time we were unbeatable,
Nothing passed among us
undetected.

If we should meet again on
another street I will gladly take
up your fight, I am a Police
Working Dog and together We
are guardians of the night.

--Author unknown

"In Remembrance
of K9 Rocky" 

My partner passed away Sunday, 06 Aug 2000 and he took a little bit of me with him.  He was 13 years old.  To me he was my best friend, my guardian and my partner.  Rock is with his friends now, chasing his ball, or a cat, or spreading the trash around the floor looking for food even though he just ate.  Not a minute goes by that I don't miss his presence.  I believe in time the sadness will be somewhat replaced by the wonderful memories of
times we had together and the life we shared.

By the time he was 1 year old Rocky began his training to become a Police K-9.  When I first met this dog and for some time after I didn't think he would make the grade.  Rocky loved people, especially children.  While this dog had an amazing capacity for love, he also had the heart of a lion.  He did his job because he loved it.  Rock breezed though his training until the moment of truth - the final test.  All of our dogs must pass this test to "see what they are made of".  We called it the courage test.

Rocky was put on a short lead and tied to a fence so there was no retreat. I was to hide where he couldn't see me.  A bad guy who was also hidden would come charging out at him, yelling and screaming, holding a switch above his head.  The bad guy would swing the stick at the dog.  If the dog showed the slightest sign of hesitation or fear, or if they retreated that was the end
of their career.  Their lead must remain taut.  Rock passed with flying colors.  His lips were rolled back and scrunched up exposing his huge teeth. Spit was flying everywhere.  I was so proud of him.  The bad guy made the mistake of getting his hand within reach of those teeth for a split second and it earned him a trip to the hospital to get sewn back together.

During Rocky's career he made many felony apprehensions.  Our dogs are trained not to bite the individual as long as they stop running.  If they run or try to fight the dog, they get a 90+lb German Shepherd attached to them.  Many of Rock's apprehensions were made without bites.  When they saw that big dog running full speed toward them they simply gave up.  Many of
them were so frightened by his appearance that by the time I caught up to where Rocky had them they had the tell tale wet spot on the front of their pants and some had an unpleasant odor about them....

On one occasion I responded to a call of a berserk person inside a store. The "actor" as we call them was high on drugs and was totally flipping out. I went into the store, leaving the driver's window open as was the practice to allow Rocky to exit the car if need be.  I didn't take Rock inside because of the customers in the store.  As I got inside the guy fled out the back and I ran after him, he ran out onto the main street and began punching the windows out of the buildings as he passed.  I finally caught up to him and tackled him in the middle of the main street and struggled to get control of him.  Rocky could now see us and exited the car to offer his assistance. 
Rocky was struck by a passing pickup truck and thrown.  When I learned what had happened I went to him and checked him for injuries. Amazingly, nothing was apparent but I took him to our Veterinarian to have him checked and they found nothing. 
Later, as Rocky got older, he began to
have trouble walking, especially after lying down for a while.  He now was about 10 years old.  One day he just collapsed on the floor and didn't move. I carried the big guy and put him in my truck (he was now a solid 106 pounds).   I took him to the Vet again and they took X-rays.  They told me that Rock had arthritis in his spine, probably from his work injury.  They gave me medicine for him and it did help some. I enjoyed working with Rocky but what I will really miss is his companionship.  It seems so unfair that such a wonderful animal has but a
short time on this earth.  The qualities that they possess by nature are so cherished by humans but rarely attained - unconditional love and loyalty to
name two. 
My wife and I were both with him when he passed, we were holding him, stroking his fur and talking to him.  It deeply affected both of us but I am glad he didn't have to go through it alone.  This house will never be the same without him.  Rock was buried in our butterfly garden on the hill near where he loved to spend time.  I got him a headstone with a picture of a German Shepherd head on it.  The words "K-9 Rocky" appear at the top with the dates of his presence below.  In German I had a tribute engraved which translated means,
"Rest In Peace my True Friend".
-- Ken Kramer --

"The Life Of A
Police Dog"

You brought me home
One sunny day
With you for years
I would surely stay.

I met your pack
Children and wife
I began to love
My new-found life.

I slept on your couch
At the foot of your bed
You looked at me lovingly
While petting my head.

We trained for months
And our bonding grew
We were both partners
Buddies in Blue.

We did school demo’s
And I never did wrong
Over all of the years
My love for you grew strong.

How I loved to work
To stand up and bark
In the back of our car
From light until dark.

We went call to call
Having fun all the way
Until the call came
On that one fateful day.

A man with a gun
The dispatcher did say
I jumped from my car
When it pointed your way.

Before leaving home I was told
“keep him safe” by your wife
I knew at that moment
For you I would give my life.

The bullet struck hard
Steady and true
The bullet struck me instead
Of striking you.

When you go home tonight
Tell your wife I did good
Strong, Tall and Proud
On the ground that I stood.

I’m dead and gone now
This much is true
But I’ve done my job well
Of protecting you.

Thank you
Loyal partner,
Faithful friend,
You will be greatly missed.

--Author Unknown--

"Dogs Give Peace Of Mind To Crime Victims"

Dong-Phuong Nguyen
STAFF WRITER - San Diego Tribune

17-Sep-2000 Sunday

Service Dogs for Victims of Assault

Amy Weigel knows what it's like to live in fear -- afraid to walk down the
short driveway to her car, to mingle in a crowd, to jog around the block.
After she was sexually assaulted by a stranger five years ago, her life
changed.

"It takes a little bit out of everything you do," said Weigel, a
24-year-old liberal studies student at San Diego State University. "School
was really hard. It was hard being around large crowds, going out to eat
... little things people take for granted."

But Weigel got a big part of her life back earlier this year when she was
introduced to a dog named Fedor.

The 2-year-old German shepherd accompanies Weigel everywhere -- on
airplanes, to school, to the grocery store -- so he can watch everyone she
encounters.

And when someone who might be a threat approaches Weigel, Fedor positions
his 103-pound body in front of her so he can confront the stranger with
growls, barks and unmistakable menace.

It's his job.

Fedor is at Weigel's side as part of a new San Diego program that matches
victims of crimes with large dogs trained to protect them and help them
regain a sense of security. The animals are considered service dogs, so
they accompany their handlers everywhere, just like canines that assist the
blind and people with other disabilities.

Service Dogs for Victims of Assault is pioneering the effort in the United
States, and it has sent dogs to three other states that want to offer the
same service.

"I was in pretty bad shape," Weigel said in describing her life before
Fedor (pronounced Fay-door). But now, with the large dog by her side,
things are different.

"Life has changed all for the better," she said. "(Fedor) gives me a sense
of self-confidence that I thought was gone, and safety and peace of mind to
just be in crowds of people and know that I'm going to be OK."

The idea that dogs could assist crime victims was developed by Sherri
Goldstein, a licensed and certified hypnotherapist in North Park whose
patients deal with such issues as agoraphobia, post-traumatic stress
disorder and other problems.

A few years ago, Goldstein had finished going through relaxation techniques
with a rape victim when the woman leaned down to hug one of the three
German shepherds that lounge around Goldstein's office. Goldstein, who has
trained German shepherds and who has done canine rescue work for more than
15 years, considers herself somewhat of an expert on the breed.

Through tears, the patient told Goldstein that the only place she felt safe
was when she was at Goldstein's office, with the dogs.

"A light bulb went on," Goldstein said. "My sense of security is largely
enhanced by traveling with a large pack of dogs, and they're German
shepherds at that. I realized my clients could also enjoy that sense of
security if they were to have a companion animal with them."

So Goldstein started researching the subject and learned that the American
with Disabilities Act covered hidden disabilities, like those her patients
suffered from.

At the end of 1999, after $3,000 in legal fees and hundreds of hours of
research, Service Dogs for Victims of Assault was created. In less than a
year, the group has helped 15 women and two men in the San Diego area and
has sent dogs to Nevada, Oregon and New Hampshire.

The 17 people who have the service dogs were referred to the organization
by law enforcement, the District Attorney's Office, psychiatrists and
social workers. The people have been diagnosed as suffering from
psychological effects of crimes such as assault, stalking and rape.

William Stothers, deputy director for the Center for an Accessible Society
in San Diego, said programs that carry out the goals of the ADA are of
great help.

"Where animals are able to be very, very helpful to people and enable
people with impairments to lead fuller and more independent lives, that is
very valuable," he said.

Legally, people with disabilities do not have to identify why they have the
dog. Goldstein instructs her clients to say the dogs provide handicap
assistance.

"By having to detail their reasons just reactivates the trauma," she added.

However, not just anyone is given a service dog.

The organization does not provide dogs in spousal abuse situations or if a
person's psychiatric disorder is too extreme to entrust him or her with a
dog.

A victim's advocate referred Weigel to the program in March, after she
discovered her house had been burglarized.

Weigel, of Chula Vista, came home just as the burglars left. Two
13-year-old boys were later arrested and convicted of the crime. But it
left Weigel, who had gone through therapy because of the sexual assault
years earlier, feeling even more vulnerable.

She was soon introduced to Service Dogs for Victims of Assault and given
Fedor. As part of the boys' punishment, the court ordered them to pay $700
to Weigel to cover the cost of acquiring and training Fedor. Other victims
receive financial assistance through the program's donors.

Fedor has become a constant companion to Weigel in the seven months they
have been together, even accompanying her to classes at SDSU.

During an hourlong lecture on geology recently, Fedor sat at Weigel's feet,
his head on the floor, but eyes alert. He wore a blue vest instructing
people not to pet him and a badge identifying him as a service dog. Weigel
poured him bottled water.

Fedor is constantly aware of his surroundings, although he rolls over for
the occasional belly rub.

"He's still in training," Weigel said as she affectionately ran her fingers
over his belly during a break between classes.

While she sat, Fedor lay at her feet, sometimes with his muzzle flat on the
ground. As students scuttled to class, their feet hit inches from Fedor's
nose. He did not flinch. He is trained to not be alarmed by noise and
bustle around him. But at the sign of a threat, Fedor snaps into action.
Weigel and Fedor are training together so Fedor will respond to voice
commands.

Fedor's protective nature is common among his breed, but more specialized
training is needed in order for him to become a service dog.

The pair train together once a week, with more lessons ahead.

There are seven trainers in San Diego county who teach the dogs for free or
at a discount.

One of the first people to assist the organization by volunteering her time
to train the dogs and create a model for other trainers is Brigitte Shaw,
owner of CBS Dog Training based in Alpine.

Shaw, who has trained dogs for about 18 years, said that depending on the
dog's temperament, it can take four weeks to four months to train a dog for
the program.

"There is no bite work involved," she said. "The only things we basically
want the dog to do is bark but not to bite. You have to turn the dog on and
turn the dog off on command."

Some of the best breeds for the job are the German shepherds, Doberman
pinschers, giant schnauzers, bouviers, Airedales and Rottweilers.

All of the dogs in the program are rescued from shelters. The cost for
medical checkups, treatment and training can run the group about $800 a
dog.

Once trained, a canine goes to a sort of halfway house where it waits to be
assigned to a handler, someone the dog will live with permanently.

When Weigel first got Fedor, her husband left for work one morning and
turned right back because he had forgotten something. Weigel was still in
bed when he walked through the front door and was stopped by Fedor at the
doorway. The dog barked and growled and refused to let him pass until
Weigel called him off. Now that Fedor has been in the family for seven
months, he's protective of Weigel and her entire family.

"He's always my first line of defense," she said.

Weigel's experience with Fedor is common.

One handler e-mailed Goldstein a letter of thanks for her dog and told of
her new companion's protective nature.

They went into a store with "larger than life-sized" statues of goblins and
wizards up on pedestals. The figures were posed in threatening positions,
arms raised and crouched over.

"(The dog) did not like that," the woman wrote. "She kept stepping in front
of me and alerting each time we came near one. That made me feel safe."

The dogs in the program have given their handlers exactly what Goldstein
has hoped for -- greater normalcy and a greater life experience.

And Fedor may be a working dog, but at home he gets spoiled as much as
Weigel's other dog, a "training-challenged" Australian shepherd named
Ginger.

"Fedor is part of the family," Weigel said. "When he comes home, he gets to
be a dog, basically."

When they are no longer needed for their intended purpose, Goldstein said,
"the dog may be able to stay home as a beloved pet and eat bon bons."

For more information about acquiring a dog, or to make a donation, call
Sherri Goldstein at (619) 280-2833 or write to Service Dogs for Victims of
Assault, 2316 32nd St., San Diego 92104.

Seattle Police To Honor Fallen Canine Officer

Thursday, August 31, 2000

By HECTOR CASTRO
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Even for trained dogs, police work can be tough.

The dogs are jostled in the back of patrol cars, tossed over fences, punched, stabbed and sometimes shot.

And, like many of their brethren, sometimes they simply get hit by cars.

That was what happened Friday when officer Mike Lewis and his partner, Shierkhan, were tracking a pair of carjackers.

The big German shepherd, a favorite with school kids, died from his injuries. Today, the Seattle Police Department will honor the dog with a memorial service at 1 p.m. at Sand Point Naval Academy Auditorium.

"It was a reality check for everyone," officer Bill Waltz said, bearing a black stripe over his badge in memory of Shierkhan.

Shierkhan died despite precautions officers always take with their dogs, such as wrapping them in reflective vests, strapping on flashing strobe lights, and closing roads to traffic.

"It's a hazard. You're working in the city and there's traffic pretty much all day and night," said Seattle officer Rob White, who works with a German shepherd named Beethoven. "Probably half the dogs in this unit have been hit by cars."

Shierkhan worked the streets for a little more than two years. In that time, he was involved in more than 80 arrests, police said.

"Mike and Shierkhan got quite a lot of good cases," Officer Seth Dietrich said. "Shierkhan did a fantastic job for him."

At the offices of the Seattle K-9 Unit, on East Marginal Way in Tukwila, the image of a stoic German shepherd graces the entry doors, and photos of dogs cover whole sections of office walls.

Behind the offices are kennels and a training area for the dogs.

On a recent night, a German shepherd donated to the department as a potential police dog roamed freely among the offices, while the officers prepared for the first calls of their evening.

On an eraser board someone had written information about today's memorial and where to find black tape for their badges.

Shierkhan's death was felt by them all.

"It's very, very traumatic," Waltz said.

The entire K-9 unit, 11 German shepherds, a Labrador who sniffs out drugs, and one dog that works with the team's trainer, will all attend today's ceremony.

"That could have been Talon," Dietrich said of Shierkhan's death. "That could have been my dog."

Police dogs and their human handlers form a bond that officers say goes deeper than the typical ties between pets and their owners.

It's a connection formed over months of rigorous training, countless hours spent in each other's company, and shared dangers.

"They're family," said K-9 officer Rob White, who works with Beethoven. "My dog plays with my kids, he sleeps by my bed. Actually, he sleeps on the bed."

Shierkhan was no exception.

He lived with Lewis and his family, and his demeanor made him a natural goodwill ambassador: He visited nursing homes and schools with Lewis.

"He was just a wonderful dog to be around kids," said K-9 officer Fred Dielensynder.

Dielensynder's dog, Radar, is one of the few in recent years to be shot.

Radar was wounded at one of the melees that occurred during the protests surrounding last year's World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle.

Radar has since healed and returned to work.

Officers said they never stop worrying about their dogs, who are more than just working pets.

"Regular people don't bring their dogs to work with them," Waltz said, who works with Prince, a 95-pound German shepherd. "And then you run into situations where he saves your butt. How can you be anything but grateful?"

Trooper Charlie was killed March 13, 2000 during the
execution of a search warrant. This was the first time
the dog had worked with the Conway police and Faulkner County
Sheriff's Office on a SWAT team search.

The summary conclusion states the majority of the Conway Police
Department's SWAT team was interviewed as well as members of
the sheriff's office SWAT team.

The conclusion is "all the officers involved acted in accordance
with their job function and training. All officers involved acted in a
responsible manner based upon their observations and
perceptions of the situation at hand."

Charlie was shot and killed by officer Mike Gibbs, tactical team
leader for the Conway SWAT team.

In that role, Gibbs said in the report, that his job was to do the
briefing of the team. "One of my job assignments was to make
sure the K9 knew their job assignment," Gibbs reported.

He went on to say that this included Charlie and handler state
Trooper Bobby Brown, as well as another K9 on the scene.

Their job was to "apprehend any suspects that might run. ... They
were not to bring the dogs inside the house. ..." Gibbs said. He
said the officers nodded when asked if they understood this.

Gibbs said he was on the side of the home at 21 Gail Lane as the
assigned members knocked on the door. As he was commanded,
Gibbs moved to the back of "the stack" of SWAT members as they
entered the residence.

According to Brown, this was the same time as he and Charlie
started running to the back of the house.

"At that time they are banging on the side of the house and yelling,
... 'police search warrant' and all that kind of stuff," Brown reported.

"And in Charlie's training ... that's an indicator for him to get ready
and get fired up to go inside to do a building clearance," Brown
reported.

At that time Charlie reportedly broke free from Brown and ran
toward the officers entering the house. Charlie was not on a leash.

"I (gave) him my down commands which is meant for him to lay
down and he wasn't responding," Brown said.

Brown said he continued to yell commands and shock him with the
electric collar he was wearing but Charlie didn't stop.

He said just a few seconds passed from the time Charlie left his
assigned position and when he entered the house. Brown said
that's what Charlie was trained to do -- "he goes in with the entry
team."

Gibbs said that at this time, "everybody was filing in and there was
a lot of yelling going on, 'get down.' ... someone was yelling 'get
this dog out of here, get this dog out of here'."

He said he did not see Charlie enter the house and the officers
had not met Charlie before the search. The report states this is not
uncommon because the dog should not be in the house with the
officers.

Gibbs said as he entered the home, he was met by "a large
German shepherd" which was coming toward him. He hit the dog
in the head with his gun "trying to get him off" him and the dog
(Charlie) backed off about five feet.

"Then all of a sudden he went berserk," Gibbs reports. "He was
barking, growling, jumping up in the air, just, like he just went
crazy," he told the investigating officer.

Gibbs said the dog started coming toward him again and he shot
the dog twice and Charlie immediately fell to the ground.

Brown reports this happened just as he was getting to the door of
the house, still yelling commands at Charlie. He said he was in
shock at this time and didn't know exactly what he did or said next.
He removed Charlie from the house and the dog was dead by the
time they reached the yard.

"I sat there for a little bit and than I carried the dog back to my car
and called my supervisor. And I kinda stayed by myself over there
next to my car the rest of the time," Brown reported.

Gibbs reported he did not know the dog was a K9 officer until he
was told by Lt. Bill Thessing, SWAT commander.

Officers encountered dogs in two incidents about two weeks prior
to this incident. An officer was bit at one of the incidents. Gibbs
said, however, that did not create a mind set.

Gibbs said the team knew the Gail Lane home had a dog but
didn't know if it was large or small or would be inside or outside.

Charlie reportedly had nothing on to identify him as a police dog
and this is a procedure that's going to change "very soon,"
according to Conway chief Jerry Snowden.

He said this morning that any dog working with his department will
be required to wear something.

Although, Gibbs said in the report, this would not have mattered.
He felt the dog was coming to get him and he would have shot it
regardless.

(Written by The Cabin staff writer Samantha Huseas.)

An interesting post was written to me on behalf of K9 Charlie.  It is with this gentleman's permission that I am allowed to quote and share what he wrote.

"I was visiting your site and read your Police K-9 Tribute. The story about Charlie was so sad but it also made me very angry that they blamed Charlie for the accident. I too was a Police K-9 handler and I have been on our department's SWAT Team for 8 years. In my experience, the dogs never made a mistake. They always did exactly what they were trained to do.

In this case several mistakes were made by several people. First it is inexcusable for members of the raid to not have known everyone taking part in the operation, including the dogs.

Second Charlie's handler had no business having Charlie off lead. German Shepherds are a powerful animal and they love to do their job. When Charlie heard the activity starting, of course he was going to become excited and try to get involved.

Third human mistake is, if the handler did not have full control over Charlie in any circumstance then he had no business bringing him out of the car. This is not Charlie's fault! Remember he is a dog and while they are a very intelligent animal, we are the humans and are supposed to be slightly smarter. Charlie will do whatever he is trained to do and he will get away with whatever he is allowed to get away with.

Admittedly I wasn't there during this incident however I have been involved in many like it. Our master trainer always told us the most important thing with a K-9 is control, it could save his life someday. Charlie's handler did not have control. It cost Charlie his life and Charlie's handler a companion, partner and friend. It cost the department several thousand dollars. An expensive lesson all the way around.

This is not Charlie's fault! Shame on those in the department for not taking the blame for their own actions. Worse yet they blamed it on a dog who would have given his life in an instant to save the life of another officer."

- Officer Ken Kramer -

"Military Service Honors Police Dog Kodi"

March 8, 2000


I will protect you with my last breath ...

Standing before a small white casket, Steve
Kulakowsky pushed the words past the knot in his
throat.

There is no greater love than this, that I would
lay down my life for you ...

His voice breaking, the Flat Rock police officer
rushed to finish his eulogy for Kodi, the Pontiac
police dog who died in the line of duty last week.

Officers from dozens of metro Detroit police
departments stood rigidly at attention at a Taylor pet
cemetery Tuesday during a military funeral for Kodi.
At the sides of many, canine officers whined and
fidgeted against taut leashes as Kulakowsky read
from "Guardians of the Night," a tribute to fallen
police dogs by an unknown author.

Together we will experience a bond only others
like us will understand ...

Kodi's owner and handler, Pontiac Police Officer
Craig Pesko, wept behind dark sunglasses as taps
sounded a farewell.

Later, Pesko quietly declined comment. Other
canine handlers said it's difficult to understand the
bond between police officers and their canine
partners.

"Craig has no kids," Kulakowsky said. "The dog
was what he had. I can't imagine what it's going to
be like for him to get back in the cruiser and not hear
Kodi barking."

Kodi, 2 1/2, died Friday during surgery to repair
spinal damage caused by a two-story fall the dog
took during the search of a building in Pontiac
Thursday night.

He had been on the force for about 18 months and
assisted in tracking, drug detection and searches.

"His work was steady, always top-notch," said
Pontiac Police Sgt. Michael Story. The dog had
apprehended car thieves during manhunts, and
uncovered drugs on several occasions.

More than 130 police officers, police dogs and
others attended the funeral, where Kodi joined more
than 20,000 animals buried at AAA Pet Services
cemetery in Taylor.

The officers wore black bands around their badges,
identical to the badges and bands fastened to each
police dog's collar.

When our time is done, you move on in the
world. If we should meet again on another street,
I will gladly take up your fight.

BY HUGH McDIARMID JR.
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

"Dogs have given us their absolute all.  We are the center of their universe.  We are the focus of their love and faith and trust.  They serve us in return for scraps.  It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made." - Roger Caras